Evaluating theImpact of Engaged Philosophy in the Online Classroom: Lessons Learned As an Oregon State Ecampus Research Fellow, I designed and initiated a research study thDowat aimed to: 1) investigate tools and techniques for engaged, experiential online learning with undergraduate philosophy students and 2) propose discipline- specific criteria for evaluating the impact of these pedagogical […]

Creating and Collaborating: Students’ and Tutors’ Perceptions of an Online Group ProjectAlthough collaboration skills are highly valued by employers, convincing students that collaborative learning activities are worthwhile, and ensuring that the experience is both useful and enjoyable, are significant challenges for educators. This paper addresses these challenges by exploring students’ and tutors’ experiences of a group project where part-time distance learners collaborate online to create a […]

OER Awareness and Use: The Affinity Between Higher Education and K-12Educators within Higher Education (HE) and K-12 share in the need for high quality educational resources to assist in the pursuit of teaching and learning. Although there are numerous differences between the two levels of education, there are commonalties in the perceptions of the purpose, practical uses, and challenges that abide in the use of […]

Designing Continuing Professional Development MOOCs to promote the adoption of OER and OEPThere is growing interest in the adoption of open educational resources (OER) and open educational practices (OEP) in a variety of contexts. Continuing professional development (CPD) among practitioners in the effective adoption of OER and OEP is critical in this scenario. Massive open online courses (MOOCs), which also grew as part of the open education […]

The potential role of Open Educational Practice policy in transforming Australian higher educationOpen Educational Practices (OEP) have played an important role in assisting educational institutions and governments worldwide to meet their current and future educational targets in widening participation, lowering costs, improving the quality of learning and teaching and promoting social inclusion and participatory democracy. There have been some important OEP developments in Australia, but unfortunately the […]

Network Neutrality: The End of the Beginning (Again)With federal policy debates currently dominated by tax-and-spending issues along with immigration, one might easily lose sight of the relatively recent, dramatic shift in Federal Communications Commission (FCC) policy on network neutrality. In part, this is because the 2017 FCC order changing the rules on network neutrality has yet to take full effect. On February […]

How congressional politics drive the net neutrality debateThe ongoing national debate over the Federal Communications Commission’s net neutrality rules started a new chapter this week. Senate Democrats, led by Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.), filed a petition that will force a vote on overturning the Commission’s 2017 decision to undo rules from the Obama administration. In doing so, Markey and his colleagues will […]

Topics are invited from all sources, but the major focus will be on Common Core of Data (CCD), data collection, data linking beyond K-12, data management, data privacy, data quality, data standards, data use (analytical), data use (instructional), fiscal data, and Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS).

• Friday, June 29, 2018: Deadline to make reservations at The Mayflower Hotel. If you have not already done so, please make your hotel reservations by visiting https://book.passkey.com/event/49683113/owner/1261/home or call The Mayflower’s reservation line at 877-212-5752to reserve a sleeping room.

Reference the conference block name, STATS-DC 2018, to receive the group rate of $175 plus taxes per night. You will need to provide a personal credit card number to guarantee your room.

• Friday, July 6, 2018: Pre-registration closes. After this date, participants must complete registration paperwork onsite at the conference.

If you have any questions regarding the 2018 NCES STATS-DC Data Conference, contact Patrick Keaton at patrick.keaton@ed.gov.

The Institute of Education Sciences, a part of the U.S. Department of Education, is the nation’s leading source for rigorous, independent education research, evaluation and statistics.

By visiting Newsflash you may also sign up to receive information from IES and its four Centers NCES, NCER, NCEE, & NCSERto stay abreast of all activities within the Institute of Education Sciences (IES).

To obtain hard copy of many IES products as well as hard copy and electronic versions of hundreds of other U.S. Department of Education products please visit http://www.edpubs.org or call 1-877-433-7827 (877-4-EDPUBS).

New Report on the Condition of Education in the United States

The National Center for Education Statistics released The Condition of Education 2018 today (May 23), a congressionally mandated report that summarizes important developments and trends in education using the latest available data. This year’s report provides new analyses on a wide range of issues, including the cost of early childhood care arrangements and average student loan debt for graduate school completers. Findings from the new analyses include:

Early childhood care expenses were higher in 2016 than in 2001. For example, families’ average hourly out-of-pocket expenses for center-based care were 72 percent higher in 2016 ($7.60) than in 2001 ($4.42), in constant 2016–17 dollars. The analysis also finds that in 2016, some 57 percent of children under the age of 6 had parents who reported there were good choices for child care where they lived. Among children whose parents reported difficulty finding child care in 2016, some 32 percent cited cost as the primary reason.

Overall, 18 percent of public school teachers in 2015–16 had entered teaching through an alternative route to certification program. The percentages were higher among those who taught career or technical education (37 percent), natural sciences (28 percent), foreign languages (26 percent), English as a second language (24 percent), math and computer science (22 percent), and special education (20 percent).

Among graduate school completers who had student loans for undergraduate or graduate studies, average student loan balances increased between 1999–2000 and 2015–16 for all degree types (in constant 2016–17 dollars). For example, average student loan balances for students who completed research doctorate degrees, such as a Ph.D., doubled during this time period, from $53,500 to $108,400 (an increase of 103 percent). Average student loan balances increased by 90 percent for those who completed professional doctorate degrees, such as medical doctorates and law degrees (from $98,200 to $186,600).

The 2018 report also includes other key findings on topics ranging from prekindergarten through postsecondary education, as well as labor force outcomes and international comparisons.

The Institute of Education Sciences, a part of the U.S. Department of Education, is the nation’s leading source for rigorous, independent education research, evaluation and statistics.

By visiting Newsflash you may also sign up to receive information from IES and its four Centers NCES, NCER, NCEE, & NCSERto stay abreast of all activities within the Institute of Education Sciences (IES).

To obtain hard copy of many IES products as well as hard copy and electronic versions of hundreds of other U.S. Department of Education products please visit http://www.edpubs.org or call 1-877-433-7827 (877-4-EDPUBS).